Improvement in preserving wood



WEBB.

A Preserving Wood No. 108.659. I

Patented Oct. 25, 1870.

a. PETERS. PhoXo-Uthngrapher, Wanh nglon. ma

EZRA WEBB, OF NEW YORKQN. Y,

Letters Patent No. 108,659, dated October 25,1870.

iMPROVEMENT IN PRESERVING WOOD.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of thesame.

I, EZRA \VEBB, of the city of New York, county. of New York and State ofNew York, have invented a certain Process for the Preservation of \Vood,of which the following is a specification.

This invention consists First, in using certain new and improved liquidcombinations of chemical agents, by means of which I effect, oraccomplish simultaneously, the preservation of wood from decay, and theseasoning thereof by chemical means in brief time.

Secondly, in an improved mode of introducing sucll liquids into piecesof wood or timber.

The. classes of preservative or antiseptic agents which I use areindividually in use already, my improvements consisting in my modes ofcombining the same, so as to accomplish effects or results which havenot heretofore been combined in the same process.

I combine together in the same solution, for example, the products ofthe distillation of coal, or gas-tar, such as carbolic acid andcompounds thereof, with products of the distillation of wood orwood-tar, such as pyroligneous acid and salts of the latter, likepyrolignite' of iron. In combination with either, or at times with bothof these, I use also another agent,

which effects a simultaneous seasoning of the wood, thisagent being onewhich has also been in use for many years, though not in my improvedcombina tions. This agent is the chloride of barium. As heretofore used,it has been merely for the purpose of impregnating the wood withinsoluble sulphate of baryta, by applying successively this salt and asolution ofa sulphate. My own use ofit is a consequence of theobservation that it has the power of preventing subsequent shrinkage inwood impregnated with it.

My improved mode of introducing these combinations, or any other liquidagents having similar preservative or seasoning effects; or both, intotimber, is by forming, either by boring'or otherwise, a closed chamberor chambers, within a piece of timber, arranged longitudinally in, ornearly in the direction of the fiber, and extending from near one end tonear the other end of such parts or lengths of the timber as-it isdesired to preserve, and making, also, a lateral ortransverseperforation, aperture, or lead, from the lateral surface of the timber,extending. to the longitudinal closed chamber, through which lateralperforation or aperture the preservative liquid is convenientlyintroduced, such aperture or lead being afterward closed, preferably insuch manner that the stopper may be readily removed, and additionalliquid introduced. A second lateral aperture is sometimes convenient, toallow air to escape as the liquid enters.

One way in which my invention may be applied in practice, is by boringlongitudinally from one end of the timber a sufiicientjdistance towardthe other end, and forming the closed chamber called for by myprinciple, by plugging up the open end of the bore.

Some of the-advantages and conveniences of my I improved mode ofintroduction, which give it superiority overall other plans hithertodevised, maybe thus set forth:

My experimentshave shown that timber is much more rapidly and thoroughlyimpregnated by liquids when in horizontal than'in vertical or inclinedpositions. The greater uniformity of action, when horizontal, isobvious, for in a vertical. chamber the pressure is greater toward thelower end, and the level of the liquid also continually sinks. In mymethod absolute uniformity is conveniently secured by simply rolling orturning over the timber from time to time. It is also much moreconvenient and economical to handle, pile, and manipulate logs andtimbers when horizontal than vertical.

I am also enabled morcconveniently and practicabl y to treattimbersalready fixed inplace horizontally, as in trestle work, dock andbridge timbers, railroadties, and so on. In another application will hespecified an improved auger, which may be used in the carrying out of mymethod, and with which holes of great depth may be bored, as it clearsits own chips.

Again, in cases of railroad-ties or other timbers in use, the lateralaperture may at any time be used for a second or extra treatment, evenwhile the road is in service, without interference with its business.

Hence the use of the iron-screw plug, already specified.

It is to be remarked that I use neither hydraulic pressure 'nor heat, inmy methods of preparation. Natural capillary force is the only agent Iappeal to in any case. Hence the integrity of the fiber can in no casebe impaired.

Description of the Accompanying Drawing.

Figure 1 represents a stick of rough timber, for

example, a railroad-tie ready for treatment. A B representing thelongitudinal perforation, C, the plug,

pole, in which the chamber A B is so situated as to extend to somedistance both above and below the surface of the earth, when the pole isset, with the object of protecting especially 'that portion of itslength which is most exposed to the destructive action of conjoined airand moisture. In this case, I sometimes prefer to make my lead, orlateral feedaperture, inclined toward the base' of the pole, as hererepresented, which renders more convenient the replenishment of thepreservative liquid, if desired, after the pole is erected.

Figure 4 represents the same object as fig. 3, in section, with the plugG driven in, and E screwed into its seat.

Figure 5 represents the base of a telegraph-pole, when set, with themode of replenishing the chamber a second time, after the removal of thescrew-plug E, and the insertion of a funnel, F, with a bent neck.

I do not claim, broadly, the introduction of preservative liquids intoholes boredinto or through tim her, this being a very ancient device;nor do I claim any novel device or invention covered by A. B. Tripler,under his patent granted June 28,1870, No.

104,917 but What I claim as of my invention is- 1. The combinations ofthe products distilled from coal-tar, such as carbolic acid, withproducts distilled from wood-tar, such as pyroligneous acid, in thepreservation of wood.

2. Chloride of barium, in combination with the products of distillationof coal-tar, or with pyroligueous acid or salts thereof, or with both.

3. The method of preserving timber by forming a longitudinal chamberextending nearly from end to end of the timber to be preserved, andfurnished with lateral apertures or leads, through which anypreservative liquid may be introduced, in the manner and for thepurposes specified.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name be fore two subscribingwitnesses.

' EZRA WEBB.

Vitnesses STEPHEN CHESTER, VAN ZANPT DAMES.

